Winter Park-based Genicon wins federal export award

Winter Park-based Genicon is one of 66 companies this year to win a prestigious export award from the federal government.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker presented the President’s “E” Award on Wednesday in Washington D.C.

Genicon makes needles and other devices for laparoscopic surgery. The award is given for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

Gary Haberland, CEO, said he was honored by the award. In a news release, he said distribution of his company’s products began to ramp up in 1999 within Western Europe. It is now exported to Central and South America, the Pacific Rim and the Middle East.

Pritzker said in a news release that exports help U.S. businesses to grow faster, hire more employees, pay higher wages, and “spread American ideas, innovation and values.”

U.S. exports of goods and services hit an all-time record of $2.3 trillion in 2013.